


let it go; this too shall pass

by afrocurl



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bullying, First Kiss, M/M, Middle School, Take Your Fandom to Work Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-10
Updated: 2013-04-10
Packaged: 2017-12-08 02:37:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/756003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afrocurl/pseuds/afrocurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Middle School is horrible for everyone, even if Erik has a class he likes and a boyfriend who holds his hand, but it seems so much worse when his favorite class is ruined by one statement.</p>
            </blockquote>





	let it go; this too shall pass

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cesare](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cesare/gifts).



> Written for one very silly comment in chat by **Cesare** , and betaed by both Ces and **ninemoons42**.

Exploring Technology is Erik’s favorite class. His love for it has nothing to do with the fact that his boyfriend Charles is there, and everything to do with all the things he can create during the class. The first big project they made was a miniature rocket, and while Erik’s was not as good as Charles’, Erik knows that in the end, Erik’s passion for this sort of work might lead to a job - way down the line when he’s _old_ and now a thirteen year old stuck in school for seven hours a day. (Charles, he knows, does it for the grade and the external push of his father to be the best in everything.)

Each mouse trap, more like a simple Rube Goldberg machine, is also just awesome in Erik’s mind, even if Charles tsks as they work next to each other on their separate projects.

“What’s wrong?” Erik asks as he turns back to Inventor to look at the layout of his machine.

“Nothing,” Charles says as his eyes focus more intently on his own computer screen.

“It’s not nothing if you’re ‘tsk’ing at me. That’s _something_.”

Charles shuffles a few papers at his keyboard and Erik knows that that’s his sign to drop it.

Mr. Howlett starts to bark more orders about everyone needing to be able to finish the last of their plans by the end of Friday and Erik settles back into this work, ignoring Charles as he does.

Erik works as hard as he can, and purposely waits until Mr. Howlett calls for them to finish up before he catches Charles’ small smile.

If they hold hands on the way from Tech to English, Erik knows that no one will say anything else.

-

The next day, there's no sign of Mr Howlett in class - they get Ms Munroe in his place. She seems nice enough and says, “Mr. Howlett’s off at a meeting today and I’ll be honest, I never took a class like this when I was your age. You’re all supposed to work on your mouse traps, but please rely on your classmates to help you if you have any problems.” She looks around for any questions and then says, “Work as quietly as possible and get to work.”

She starts to walk around the room and looks as though she’s monitoring the class’ behavior. Erik likes that just fine as he picks right up where he left off, starting with simulating the trap and its inner workings.

Over on the other side of the room, Alex and Sean start moaning about being confused. Erik stays in his seat, despite the fact that he can help them, but Charles pipes up with, “What’s wrong now?” to them both.

Sean says, “We need help!” just as Ms. Munroe says, “If you’re going to talk, do so quietly and don’t say it across the room.”

Charles gets up from next to Erik and helps Alex and Sean. But that’s not the end of Charles’ work as Emma asks about something else and before Erik knows it, Charles hasn’t touched his own work and the period is nearly over.

Just then Ms. Munroe calls for everyone to start wrapping up, though she’s not fully invested as she looks up from her book just in time to make sure that the computers are being taken care of.

Charles is still next to Emma, talking to her about the project when someone says, “Hey Charles, why are you such a butt toady? You can’t just do your own work, can you?”

Erik looks around wildly for the source of the problem - but before he can do anything about those words Ms. Munroe has gotten to her feet and is looking around sternly. “No one will bully another student in class, you all know the rules.” Erik has to fight the urge to work out that voice and punch them in the face, but that idea stops just as Charles walks over and grabs Erik’s hand tightly.

Charles leads him out of the room as soon as the bell rings and Erik’s shocked still at the thought of Charles being so strong when someone in that class clearly dislikes him so much. “It’s nothing,” Charles whispers as they power their way through the hall and against all the other people at school.

Erik stops in his tracks and pulls Charles close to him. “It’s not nothing and you know it. Even Ms. Munroe realized that.”

“But it’s not worth you getting sent to Mr. Shaw’s office and getting suspended from school. Just imagine what would happen if you weren’t here?”

Erik shudders at the thought and tries to push it away by pulling Charles even closer. Erik’s feelings are still wrapped up in what happened at the end of Tech and all he can do to settle down is to press his lips firmly against Charles’. It’s not how he ever imagined his first kiss with Charles being, but right now, it feels right.

Charles pushes himself up on his tiptoes and responds to Erik’s mouth and Erik can’t help but just wrap his free hand around Charles’ waist and stay there. He knows that he shouldn’t still be here with Charles like this, but he doesn’t want to stop.

Pulling back slightly, he looks at Charles and smiles. “We should hurry up before we’re late for class.”

Charles licks his lips before saying, “I don’t feel like going to English.”

Erik thinks he should be shocked at how forward Charles is acting right now, but he can’t protest when Charles again moves forward into his own space and kisses back.


End file.
